Pearls Goodwin 2: Making a Mistake
by Licy4
Summary: Second in the trilogy Engaged and happy, Lucy and Jeff make a discovery which threatens to tear them apart.


Title: Making a Mistake

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Of course, none of these characters are mine

Note: This is the second of a trilogy written a few years ago. Pixiespryte, thank you for the review. If you want to read more The Royal fanfiction, this forum has a very active fanfiction section http://theroyalrocks. . You need to register to access it, but there are no fees and everyone is very friendly!

Enjoy!

xXx

Lucy's face fell and Jill looked worriedly across her desk.

'Are you okay? I thought you'd be pleased,' she said.

'What? Oh, er, yes, well, I suppose I am. I mean, it's just a shock,' Lucy stumbled.

'I take it Jeff knows nothing about it.'

'No, nothing. I didn't want to worry him.'

'Well, I think you should tell him before making any decisions. Besides, you are engaged, so this must have been part of your future plans,' Jill advised.

'Yes, future, but of course I'll talk to him. And it's definite? There's no mistake?'

'No, Lucy, I'm afraid not.'

xXx

'See you next week then Mrs Tilor,' Jeff said politely as he showed his last patient out of his office. Closing the door, he wandered back over to his desk and flopped down in his chair. It had been a hellish morning surgery and he would be happy to go home now. He groaned as there was a knock on his door, but of course shouted for the person to enter.

'Lucy!' he exclaimed as she entered, 'This is a surprise. I thought you weren't in today?'

'I'm not here officially, I just had to come and see Jill.'

'Why? Is everything okay?' he asked, at her side in a second.

'Yes, I'm fine. I need to tell you something though and I think you'd better sit down.

Jeff sat down in one of the patients chairs and Lucy sat opposite him. She took a few deep breaths and stared at him.

'What's wrong? You're scaring me. Please, just tell me.'

Lucy took one final breath and spoke, 'Jeff. I'm pregnant.' Jeff's eyes widened in shock and his mouth hung open.

Lucy took this as her opportunity to carry on speaking.

'I know that this is a shock and that we never even talked about this, but believe me, it's as much of a shock to me as it is to you. I love you, Jeff, you know I do, more than anything in the world, but I can't and won't give up this child. It's ours. Yours and mine. But it's your decision. It you decide you're not ready for this, then you can walk away. I'll even tell people the baby isn't yours if that's what you want. But if you decide that you're okay about this, then there's nothing I want more than for us to be a family. I won't get married pregnant anyway, don't want to look like a white whale, but afterwards, we can get married, like we planned and it'll just be us and the baby,' she said, calmly.

Jeff shook his head defensively, 'I can't handle this. Lucy, I just can't deal with this right now.'

'Okay, we'll talk later then.'

'No, I mean I can't cope with this now, and you shouldn't want to either. We're both still young with good careers, we're not ready for a baby,' he explained, standing up and beginning to pace the floor.

'No, you're not ready. I've achieved everything I wanted to. I have a good job, which will still be there after the birth, I'm in love and I've got a baby on the way. That's me sorted,' she argued, standing to face him.

'And what if I decide I'm not sorted? What if there are things I still want to do? You won't be sorted then, you'll be a single mother.'

'Two out of three isn't bad. And I think I can cope without you.'

'With a newborn? Do the decent thing and give it to someone who knows what they're doing.'

'I've already done the decent thing and given you a choice, and you've just made it.'

'Lucy! Don't walk away!' he shouted at her back as she left his office.

He sat back on his chair and thought about what had just happened. He realised he had said some awful things to his fiance and he fully expected her to hate him.

'What have I done?' he asked out loud.

The pregnancy was unexpected, but certainly not all her fault and was not completely unwanted. He had assumed that eventually there would be children, just not this soon.

However, he could not help but smile at the thought of the two of them curled up on their sofa, with Daddy's little princess with brown pigtails and a pink dress happily drawing pictures of them all at a table in front of them. Or a little boy, with a head of dark curls and bright blue eyes, staring in awe as a train moved round the track as if by magic. Or both, eventually.

He had said the things he had said while still in shock and was upset. And now, having thought about it, realised how stupid he had been. A baby would be hard work and mean major changes to their lives, but why lose the woman he loved because things weren't going exactly the way he planned? It was the wrong order, but as long as he got his wife and family, it didn't really matter which came first.

Now he just had to convince Lucy that he really meant it.

xXx

'Ah, Dr Goodwin,' came Mr Middleditches voice as Jeff left his office, 'Staff meeting please, ten minutes in reception.'

Jeff checked his watch and realised it was nearly lunchtime, and by the time he looked up again, Mr Middleditch was already halfway down the corridor.

Jeff headed purposefully towards reception to see if Lizzie had seen Lucy, but stopped suddenly when Jill stepped out in front of him.

"Jeff, a word please,' she ordered, heading back into her office.

'But I was just…'

'Now!'

Jeff shut the door behind him and Jill leaned on her desk.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?'

'Excuse me?'

'I've had Lucy in here twice today. Once telling her about the baby, and the other sitting with her while she cried her eyes out over the fact that you don't want said baby.'

'She was here? Where has she gone now?'

'She's fixing herself for the staff meeting, but listen to me. Half an hour ago you had every intention of marrying that girl and spending the rest of your life with her. Why does the fact that she is pregnant change that?'

'It doesn't,' he said, but Jill didn't hear at first.

'How could you even think of telling her to give it away, how could you…what?' she asked, not sure if she had heard correctly.

'It doesn't matter. I'm trying to find her to tell her that I want the baby, that I still want us to be married and that I still love her.'

'Right,' Jill said, slightly embarrassed, 'Good. Well, go find her then.'

'Thanks,' he said, heading for the door, but turned back, 'And Jill?'

She looked up at him.

'Thanks for trying to help. I appreciate it.' And with that he left. Jill smiled, glad at least one thing had gone her way.

xXx

Jeff couldn't find Lucy, and soon realised that he was about to be late for the staff meeting. He hurried along to the reception and was glad to see things had not started yet. He spotted Lucy sitting on a chair next to Jill, who was chatting away to Gordon, but just as he was about to go over, Mr Middleditch called the meeting to order.

It seemed to drag on forever, but eventually, the elderly man asked if there was any other business anyone wanted to raise. Without thinking, Jeff spoke up.

'I have an announcement to make.' Instantly he realised what he had done and watched Lucys face crease into an expression of horror and fear. Jill smiled at him reassuringly, so he continued.

'Most of you know that last week, Dr Klein and I got engaged to be married. Well, I'm afraid that the wedding won't be happening…'

Tears fell from Lucys eyes, as Jill clutched at her hand, and Gordon looked ready to kill Jeff.

'…for a few months at least. Not until Dr Klein is back in shape after the birth of our baby. She doesn't want to look like a "white whale", I believe,' Jeff finished, grinning.

Lucy looked up at him in shock, not quite sure whether or not to believe what she had just heard. Jeff walked over to where she sat and knelt down in front of her.

'I love you. I would go to hell and back for you. You know that. How could I ever not want you or our baby? I'm sorry about what I said, it was stupid and I think I was still just in shock, but I didn't mean any of it. Will you still marry me?'

Lucy was still crying, but now tears of happiness, 'Of course I will!'

She fell forward into his arms and he held her tight, blissfully unaware of the cheering and clapping around them.

'Shall we tell them our good news?' Gordon whispered to the woman next to him.

'Not yet. This is Jeff and Lucy's moment. It'll have to be soon though,' Jill replied, putting a hand on her stomach.

'Not soon enough,' Gordon said. He smiled at her and she smiled back. It seemed that all the doctors were finally happy. But you know these things. It never lasts.


End file.
